The Opelousas courier., 1887-08-06
SCENES IN CANTON.
What a Traveller Saw in a
Chinese City.
Animal Food, ooolie Bearers, and the
Myria1 Boats ia Pearl River.

Black dog and black cat othe Chinese
eplcure-and only epicures and the rich
can afford the l%uxurics of dog and cat,
more expensive as they arc than beef or
pork-are much better eating than yell
low or white or spotted animals of the
same sort, and as a proof of the genu.
lneness Of the color of these delicacies
their tails arc not taken off with thcir
hides when they arc skinned. but arc
lett untouched. So that with their tails
upon them they are exposed for sale, and
ny no means a tempting sight are they.
Birds nests for soup, like dogs and cats,
are not to be found in every shop. They
are even greater delicacies aud certainly
are much more inviting, for they are
not cooked in that state in which they
are found, but after they have been
thoroughly washed and cleanse |. They
are divided up into small pieces and are
OF q gelatinous composition, but have
when ready for the market a stringy,
hbrous appearance.
Ctnton, n of the largest and perhaps
the most interesting city OF the great
Celestial Empire, is situated near the
mouth of the Pearl r yer, and, notwith-
standing the fact that it is a seaport
town, and would naturally seem to be
peculiarly exposed to European and
civilizing influences, is today little
changed from what it was when Marco
Polo, the intrepid and cnterprising trav-
eier, first made his way into it several
centuries ago. The Chinese evidently
regarded this foreigner more kindly than
subsequent travellers, for his bust, with
It's Caucasian face and with its head sur
mounted by q European hat is set up with
4s9 Acknowledged, pigg-tai;ed Mongolians
In the celebrated Temple Of the Five
Hundred Genii. Great gildcd repre-
sensations they all are, numbering among
them Buddha himself, as we'll as the
greatest of the Chinese Empcrors.
The width of the widest Of the Can
ton streets cannot be more than six or
seven feet and they ere paved with
great stone flag, but thGe is no system
Of drainage. The only way of getting
about is by walking or by being carried
by coolies in chairs. There are three
coolies for each chair, one behind AMI
two in front. Seated in u chair or pals1 /,
quin, one is hurried along through tie
narrow streets at a remarkably orapid
rate. The coolie bearers make a pecul-
lar s.Eh-eh' noise warning the foot pass
era to get out of the way. Often these
are obliged to stand with their backs
close up against a wall while the palan-
quin is carried by. Two ~palanquins
meeting generally have just room enough
though considerable difficulty in passing.
By no means the least interesting part
of this very interesting Chinese city is
the Chu- Kiang, or Pearl river, upon
which it is situated. For the river must
be considered as much a part of Canton
as the most crowded streets that run
down to its banks. lis surface seems
covered with little boats that not only
ply up and down, but form the only
homes of & large portion of the popula-
tion. Little boats only fifteen or twenty
feet long and not more than three or four
feet wide are the dwelling places of FAM
lies of six and seven persons. A low,
rounded roof over the central part of the
boat is the only covering, and hero little
children are born, grow up, and marry.
Here whole families COOK, sleep, work,
and make merry. A pan or an earthen
jar placed in the bottom of the boat is
the stove, a kettle hung above holds that
conglomeration of rice, vegetables, and
pork that stews aud SINNERS until it is
cooked, when the Chinaman takes his
| portion of it into a little basin. Three
or four times aday, year in and year out,
he throws with a pair Of chopstlcks
this chow from his Tin or china
basin into his mouth. At night the
banks of the river are lined with these
little boats, four or five or even more
deep, and when all is quiet at midnight
it it hard to realize that here is at rest
no small proportion of the inhabitants
Of the great seaport. A class Of boats
larger, more elegant, and somewhat diff
fercnt in kind, but which are just as
much a feature of Canton, because they
represent q different side of life, arc
the flower boats. It is difficult to de-
scribe exactly their character, but they
may be said to be rather in the line OF
pleasure resorts. Some are handsomely
furnished with easy lounging chairs and
s~ettees, and tables upon which are
swces meats, cakes and fruits, and deli
cate china tcapots and cups. Banners
OF silks line the walls and Chinese lam
terms shed a soft light over the furnish
ings. Everything is open. These boats
are placed side by side, and as one steps
from the deck Of one boat to the deck
OF another he might well imagine that
he were walking along q street on which
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